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Sustainable Tourism Policy - Rejuvenation or A Critical Strategic Initiative
Sustainable Tourism Policy - Rejuvenation or A Critical Strategic Initiative
Assignment#5
Fall semester\2020-2021
This article studies two islands, Malta and Calvia`. The author assesses the amount of
sustainable tourism implementation in both islands. Both places have been subjected to
environmental and social degradation due to mass tourism and neglect. This issue has caused
them to lose their competitive advantages over other touristic destinations as both islands reach
their lifecycle. Therefore, they have decided to start applying sustainable tourism policies to
control and minimize mass tourism's harmful effects. Despite different governance structures,
rules, and regulations, both islands showed positive results after developing sustainable tourism.
This paper tries to tackle why this issue happened and how it can be solved. Most of the
industrial and developed countries mainly focus on the financial gain from tourism and ignore
the destruction it brings with it. That is why an acceptable tourism policy is crucial and will force
the tourism industry to abide and follow the guidelines at all levels locally, regionally, and
nationally. This paper's primary purpose is to compare these islands to find out how they
incorporated sustainability and the results for both. In both islands, it can be seen that the
intention to go towards sustainability is there. However, at the time of implementation, both
destinations have not been able to practice it properly. The main reasons can be summarized into
three major problems—first, political issues. Second, the lack of communication between sectors
lowers the bureaucratic process pace and creates frustration. Third, as these islands are heavily
dependent on tourism, sustainable development was introduced mainly for economic gain, and
preserving the environment was not the priority. They should create a balance between social,
environmental, and economic factors. In both cases, most of the GDP generated by tourism
creates more jobs, health, and education, and sustainability concerns are being neglected. In
other words, sustainability is not the governments' priority. As a recommendation, the author
suggests more awareness and education about this vital matter, making stakeholders more
accountable for their actions, and the need for strong leadership in both islands. Sustainable
policies should be put into action at all levels, and they should be evaluated and directed at all
times. The study depicted that most politicians in both islands are afraid of change and avoid
supporting sustainable tourism to lose beneficiaries' votes. They only care about the money
tourism brings into the islands.
In conclusion, the author reports that despite the significant effects of mass tourism on both
islands, there is no long-term vision and goal for sustainability through political parties and
authorities to assure that sustainability works will not stop and will continue no matter what.
Both islands are losing their competitive advantages, and it is unfortunate.
Assignment# 6
Eco audit will provide the tools for the organizations to assess the environmental impacts which
it carries out to understand what they are doing and how they impact the environment. It also
seeks to determine whether an environmental scheme operates according to its procedures and
whether priorities and targets are accomplished.
The environmental audit will provide an insight into how the business functions. If an audit
procedure is already in place, it can be implemented in the sense of the environment. An audit is
a normal monitoring technique that can become more powerful when applied to an
environmental audit. It would take time for an eco-auditing framework to be implemented by
both developed and underdeveloped nations.